Theater Bonn has announced another cast change for Puccini’s “Tosca.” The company said that Freddie de Tommaso will sing the role of Cavaradossi on May 18, replacing Ramon Vargas. This is the latest change for the production after Vargas canceled his May 11 performance and Jonathan Tetelman stepped in. De Tommaso has performed the role of Cavaradossi at Theater Bonn, {…}
(Credit: Mark Brenner) For the second time in only a few months, I find myself reviewing a production I have seen before where I was initially very critical of what I perceived to be a weak production, creatively, but inexplicably having a change of heart the second time around. So as not to face accusations of hypocrisy or worse, senility; {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced its 2025-26 season. Here is a look at the operas and recitals for the new season. Premieres Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” will get a new production by Dirk Schmeding. The cast will be headed by Franz Xaver Schlecht, Margaret Plummer, Slávka Zámečníková, Ivo Stanchev, Monika Bohinec, Pavol Breslik, Michael Laurenz, Peter Kellner, Matthäus Schmidlechner, Ilia Staple, and Alex Ilvakhin. Tomáš Hanus conducts. A second cast will {…}
(Photo: Craig Gibson) Freddie De Tommaso is an Anglo-Italian tenor from Tunbridge Wells who received universal acclaim in 2021 when he stepped up to rescue an ailing Bryan Hymel, substituting his Cavaradossi halfway through the Royal Opera House’s performance of “Tosca.” The Times described the occasion as a “had to be there moment.” He repeated the role for his Metropolitan {…}
The Royal Opera House has announced its cinema season for the 2025-26 season. Here are the opera offerings: The cinema season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” starring Anna Netrebko, Freddie de Tommaso, and Gerald Finley. Jakub Hrůša conducts the new production by Oliver Mears. Cinema Date: Oct. 1 & 5, 2025 Antonello Manacorda conducts Verdi’s “La Traviata” and will star Ermonela {…}
The Royal Ballet and Opera has announced its 2025-26 season. The season opens with Puccini’s “Tosca” in a new production by Oliver Mears. Anna Netrebko and Aleksandra Kurzak share the title role. Freddie De Tommaso and Gerald Finley also star. Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 7, 2025 Speranza Scappucci conducts Verdi’s “I vespri siciliani” in a revival of Stefan Herheim’s production. Marina {…}
The Wiener Staatsoper has announced a cast change for its March 3, 2025 performance of “Norma.” The company said that Freddie De Tommaso will sing the role of Pollione replacing Juan Diego Flórez, who is ill. Flórez took to social media and said, “While warming up this morning, I felt that something wasn’t quite right. I went to see my {…}
(Credit: Monika Rittershaus) On Feb. 23, 2025, Arte.TV is set to broadcast the Theater an der Wien’s new production of Bellini’s “Norma.” The production by Vasily Barkhatov sets Bellini’s work against the backdrop of a change of political system and Norma’s tragedy is that she is ground down between the millstones of ideology as the old idols are jettisoned and {…}
On Jan. 4, 2025, Freddie De Tommaso sang an unexpected concert at the Gstaad New Year Music Festival. The British-Italian tenor jumped in to sing a concert replacing Andrè Schuen who was ill. De Tommaso sang a program of “Favorite arias for tenor” alongside James Baillieu at the piano. The concert happened only a day after De Tommaso made his {…}
It is time to wrap up the year and look back at our favorite moments and performers. After releasing our favorite performances of 2024 and showcasing our rising stars of the year, it’s time for OperaWire’s annual tradition of naming our top 11 singers of the year, performers that we thought stood out. Performers who had major breaks, headlined major productions or simply had {…}
The Verbier Festival has announced its 2025 season. Here is a look at the vocal performances. The Verbier Festival Orchestra and Barbara Hannigan perform works by Berlioz, Haydn, Copland, Rodgers, and Bill Elliot. Performance Date: July 17, 2025 Thomas Hampson and Ksenija Sidorova perform works by Schubert and Weill. Performance Date: July 20, 2025 The VF Academy Atelier Lyrique and {…}